A message from LLU Medical Center/Children’s Hospital administration:
Caring for the children of our community is core to the heart and soul of the mission of Loma Linda University Health. We are announcing major advances in those services. Loma Linda University Medical Center has maintained an integrated Children’s Hospital for 20 years.
Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital will begin operating under its own corporate structure this summer. With changes in reimbursement structures and the regulatory environment, we have determined that having a separately licensed Children’s Hospital would be advantageous overall to Loma Linda University Health. A separate and distinct license would permit Children’s Hospital to capitalize on strategic partnerships within our current service area, greater payor contract flexibility, membership in California Children’s Hospital Association (CCHA), and CHGME reimbursements that are currently unavailable under joint licensure.
We are pursuing an effective license date of July 1, 2014, for Children’s Hospital. In order to meet the target effective date, we will begin separate operations on April 12, 2014, in correlation with the 2012 LLEAP system upgrade. This will allow us time to optimize operations prior to the licensing survey, which will take place sometime near the end of the second quarter of 2014.
To fulfill the requirements of separate licensure, Children’s Hospital will focus on providing distinct pediatric care in the eight basic services required for General Acute Care Hospitals (GACH):
- Medical Staff
- Nursing
- Surgery
- Anesthesia
- Clinical Laboratory
- Radiology
- Nutrition
- Pharmacy
In addition, Children’s Hospital will continue to provide pediatric services required for California Children’s Services (CCS) accreditation:
- Pediatric
- Intensive Care
- Basic Emergency
- Social Services
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
The services that will be included under the Children’s Hospital license are:
- All pediatric inpatient units
- Total Care Birth Center
- Emergency department
- Perioperative services
- Pediatric OP facilities
- Basic and CCS required services
It will be critically important to distinguish between the services provided to pediatric patients versus those provided to adults as reflected in LLEAP and other electronic systems. The process for assuring this distinction and any changes to current workflows will be addressed in upgrade training.
In addition, separate patient flows will be required. There are areas that will require construction modifications in order to fulfill regulatory requirements for licensure. These projects include:
- Expansion of pediatric pre-op and recovery space
- Addition of an operating room control desk for Children’s Hospital
- Remodel of 4219 to outpatient Children’s Hospital infusion space
- Children’s Hospital pharmacy storage space
- Emergency department waiting room upgrade to provide pediatric and adult distinction
- Unique Children’s Hospital signage and way finding
- Separate Children’s Hospital and Medical Center kitchen and dietary services
These are exciting developments for LLU Health and particularly for quality pediatric and maternal care for the children and women of the Inland Empire. We need and appreciate your support in this endeavor.
If you have any questions, please talk with your manager. You can also contact Brianna Miller or Sondra Leno via e-mail.